Realizing
by MorningToYouTooSunshine
Summary: Set after 2x12, 'Island in the Stream'. Wade and Zoe try to make their relationship work, not without incurring into any problems along the way. Wade's already sure about his feelings for her, but is she?
1. Chapter 1

Set after 2x12, 'Island in the Stream', mostly Wade's point of view, but that might change. It's one-shot but I may add a few more chapters.

So that is my first fanfiction ever. It's a bit short, I know. I'm Italian so I apologize in advance for all the grammar and syntactic mistakes that may be in the text, it's not that easy for me to write in English but I've tried;) all kind of reviews are welcome! I still don't know if I'll update more chapters, but I already have a draft on an idea of what to write next.

I hope you like it. Have a nice day:)

* * *

"Did you, uh... Did you really mean what you told George and Tansy?" Wade asked her as they were walking back to the plantation, hand in hand. It had been a funny night, after all. Well, George's mother could surely be a moron, but anyway they managed to get over this, even making things clearer between the two couples. Wade and Zoe, they had come up stronger than before, and it had partly been due to George's mother.  
Zoe stopped and turned to him. They locked eyes, smiling at each other. Wade chuckled, trying to break the tension that was growing bigger and bigger as he was waiting for an answer he wasn't sure he wanted to hear. After a while, Zoe opened her mouth and he got back to breathing normally. Her voice came out so sweet he was like hypnotized by it.

"Yeah, I guess I really meant that" she admitted, looking over his shoulder, as she was feeling a little self-conscious "you know, like you once said, I had this picture in my head of how my life should be, and I kept waiting for it to be like that. I waited for so long, I did everything I could just to have the kind of life I thought I wanted and deserved. I've been expecting the charming prince to come to me, without noticing the ones I had in front of me. But then, I guess, I just realized, or maybe I've heard it on TV, I don't really know, that every day I spend waiting, is a day I'll never have back, so... it all changed, inside of my head. Now I know I'm not the girl from New York, not anymore. Of course I will always love the Big City but now here is my home. My heart belongs to Bluebell." She took a breath, moved closer to him and started talking again, only this time she was whispering "actually, my heart belongs to you".

He squeezed her hand and went in for a kiss, but then suddenly froze as his lips where a centimeter from hers, and rested his forehead on hers. He cupped her cheek, that was hot and red with embarrassment.

"I'm so happy with ya, Zoe."

He closed his eyes and pressed his lips on hers and they kissed like never before, like there was no tomorrow.  
Then, with a smile on their faces, they continued their way to the plantation standing close to one another, Wade's arm over her shoulders. When they arrived on the front porch, he took his arm away and slowed down, as he watched her begin to go up the stairs and then turn around, looking for him in the dark. He hesitated, then hopped on the step below the one where she was and she almost cried because he scared her. Even like that, she was a little smaller than him, and he clearly loved that, it made him feel as he would always be able to protect her from everything. He searched for her big brown eyes in the dark and once he found them, he just couldn't look away.

"Wade..?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he raised his right hand and moved a strand of hair from her face to behind her ear. He took in how gorgeous she looked. How an amazing woman she was, how handful and neurotic and sometimes too bossy she could be. And right there, he knew. He understood something that before then wasn't so clear in his mind. It all just popped up ahead of him, it was like a giant, bold, underlined writing that was shining brightly in front of him. And now he couldn't ignore it. He should just spit it out.

"I..."

But then again, he was not going to tell her that he loved her. He would have had to be gone crazy before he did that. What was he thinking?

"You what?"

Rather than saying something stupid, he decided he would keep his mouth shut and instead, he just went up the remaining porch steps, grabbing Zoe's arm as he passed her. Once he was on top, he turned around to face her.

"Uh, nothing... Ya comin' inside, Doc?"


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, first of all, I just wanted to say thank you, thank you for all the reviews, I really appreciated them! You made my day:)  
Second thing, yes, I decided to upload a few more chapters of this story. I don't know where I'm going with this.  
Thirdly, I apologize in advance for all the mistakes that might be in the text!  
So here's the second chapter, it's a little longer than the previous one. Hope you enjoy:)

Oh, right, in the previous chapter I forgot the disclaimer:  
I don't own Hart of Dixie. If I did, it would be pretty Wade-centered.

* * *

A few weeks had passed since the thing with George's mother.  
Wade woke up, and felt Zoe's head on his right arm, which was beginning to tingle. She was using it as a pillow, and he smiled thinking about it. He was lying on his back, his eyes still closed, not wanting to adjust to the bright light that penetrated from the windows of her house. She was, instead, on her side, close to him, a hand near his right arm, the other resting on his chest between his nipples. He brushed her arm with his rough fingers and she shivered, suddenly waking up. He grinned again, knowing she was now awake too.  
She opened her eyes and saw a big smile spreading over his face and wondered why every time she woke up next to him, the first thing she noticed was him smiling. He did that every morning. Maybe he was happy to be with her, maybe it was all he's ever wanted. Maybe...

"Stop lookin' at me, Doc"

She was taken aback and all she could do was laugh a little and look away. Or was it?  
She sat up and moved the legs on one side and the other of his basin trying to be as careful as possible, not wanting him to open his eyes and see what she was doing. She put her hands down near his head and brought her face to his.

"Wade" she whispered after a while with the sexiest voice she had. "Wade, look at me"

He did as he was ordered and opened his eyes, finding Zoe all over him, biting her lips, her big eyes wide open. First thing he did, he screamed. Not that she was scary, because she really wasn't, come on, she was so tiny and cute, especially compared to him. He'd never told her, but he loved that. Problem was, he hadn't expected it. He was still sleepy. He stared at a laughing Zoe for a minute, then decided to stop her from dying of too much laughter: he put his arms on the small of her back and pulled himself up to her lips still curved in a smile. He kissed her slowly and as she placed her hand on his chest, they were both smiling and their teeth touched. She locked her arms behind his neck. He kissed her shoulders as he pulled himself up into a sitting position and put his arms around her waist, drawing her closer. He tried to bring things to the next level.

"Wait, I have to go to work" she stopped him as she noticed the clock read 8:30am. She slipped away from his embrace and got out of bed, but he managed to quickly grab her arm, pulling her on the bed again.

"Seriously, I have to go, as much as I would want to stay here, with you, all day long"

"C'mon Doc" he put on his puppy face.

"Don't do that, you know your sad face is one of my weak points" it's true, he knows she can't resist it. Most of the time. He glanced at the nightstand.

"We still have 30 minutes before your work shift starts. You know I can be quick when I want" and again, that irritating, but super cute puppy face. She weakened.

"I have to shower" he chuckled and Zoe, knowing what the sex-centered mind of his was thinking, added, "ok, but no sex".

As they were in the shower, Wade embraced her from behind and began to stroke and kiss her.

"I could live without sex, if it means I get to shower with you every day" he kissed his way down from her ear to her neck to her shoulder, caressed her arms up and down as she waited for the water to chill.

"Yeah... I don't know about that" she said as she stepped forward to get under the water jet.

* * *

Before leaving they agreed they would see each other in the afternoon, since neither of them had to work. Brick had to retrieve all the hours he spent on his fishing trip the weekend before, so Zoe had suggested him to be in service throughout the afternoon alone.  
Wade, instead, had all the day off and when she left for work he didn't have much to do, so got back to bed and slept for a few more hours. After all, it was a weekend and on weekends you're allowed to get a little more sleep.  
When he woke up again the sun was shining brightly, he figured it was around 11.30 am. He checked the time on the clock on the nightstand, and smiled triumphantly as he'd guessed right.  
He got up, took his red flannel shirt and his jeans from the bedroom floor and got dressed.

* * *

He whistled all the way to the main house.  
He opened the door to Lavon's kitchen and entered, still whistling.

"We're happy his morning, huh?" Lavon said, glancing at him. "Or, should I say, this midday?" He joked.

"C'mon, it's not that late. And we got late last night, me and Zoe" he added with a smirk. He sat on one of the stools of the kitchen isle.

"Okay, okay... I don't need to hear about it" he let him know as he got back to making his toast.

Wade noticed what Lavon was doing.

"Hey make one for me, too, would ya mind?" He nodded in response. Wade stood up, got to the fridge, took the orange juice, two glasses and got back to his stool. He filled both glasses and handed one to his friend.

"Thanks. So, any plans for today? You and Zoe wanna do something?"

"Yup. I mean. We didn't plan anythin', but she's gonna come home in little more than an hour, she has the afternoon off. Guess we're just gonna hang out together"

"Okay" Lavon nodded, and then sadly added "I have, unfortunately, a meeting this afternoon, so if you want you can stay here, I don't know, watch some TV or anything"

"Thanks Lavon"

"Huh, no problem. I like to have you around. Well, even if I'm not gonna be here"

* * *

"Wade?" she asked almost shyly as she slowly pushed the door open with a creak.

"Zoe? I'm coming, stay there" he shouted as he quickly put his swimming trunks and his jeans on. She answered with an okay in agreement.

"You're early" he told her as he greeted her with a passionate kiss.

"Figured I'd just surprise you" Zoe explained when she managed to breathe again,moving away from his lips even if she hadn't really wanted to. He moaned and kissed her again.

"I have a surprise for you, too" wade grinned happily.

"I like surprises"

"Well then, close your eyes and follow me" he told her as he grabbed her hand, intertwined their fingers together and began to move. He walked out of the main door and stopped on the porch, turned to face her and picked her up.

"Stairs" he quickly explained as he went down the steps with her in his arms. She felt like she was a princess and he was is prince, which maybe he really was. He certainly behaved like one, when he was with her.  
The flight of stairs had ended but she was still in his arms and didn't even try to complain nor get off. After a few moments, though, he put her down. They had reached their destination.

"Open your eyes, Doc" she did as she was told, and as her eyes adjusted to the light of a hot sun, she realized they where at the pond that was between their houses.

"Oh. What's that?" she didn't sound too excited. "I mean, what are we going to do here?"

"Well..." he began to unbutton his red flannel shirt, showing his perfect abs. "Isn't it obvious?" He paused as he took his shoes off.

"We're gonna have a swim in the pond"

She stared at him like she didn't buy it. It was only the end of february, he was just crazy.

"C'mon" he begged her.

"It's winter time. The water is cold." she wasn't convinced.

"We're not in New York. Out winter is just like their springtime. It's hot down here, it's maybe 80°F. I don't think you are cold right now. You maybe even sweatin'" he joked.

She smiled, then pretended to be offended "Wade! I'm not sweating"

"What? I'm just sayin'... C'mon, just a few minutes of fun. If you think the water is too cold you can get out. I won't blame you, I promise. But you promise me you'll at least try"

She thought about it, then spoke.

"Ok, I promise."

"And there aren't even snakes it there. Well, except me, I suppose" he gave her a wink. Zoe smiled, as it reminded her first heat wave in Bluebell, and how she thought there were snakes in the pond. She remembered her hallucination about Wade taking off all his clothes, well, most of them, and diving into the pond, to get out few moments later, showing his abs striped with drops of water running down. She blushed at the thought. Right there, she had wished she could touch, kiss him. And now she could actually do that if she wanted, she only had to undress and go in with him.  
Undress? Like, naked?

"I don't have my swimsuit, I..."

"So? Go in naked. Lavon's outta town for a meeting. And it's not like I haven't seen you without clothes before" he chuckled "besides, you promised me"

"Alright then, but if it's cold you'll let me get out"

"I always keep my promises, Doc. Do ya?" She began to strip off of her clothes. Observing her, Wade remembered he had forgotten one thing.

"Wait for me, I'll go take a towel, we don't wanna get a flu for a swim in the pond, do we?" He smiled at her and run to his house, coming back just a few minutes later.

"Ready?"

"Ready" she wasn't real ready, but she knew she would never be. She was naked from head to feet. He, instead, had his trunks. Hell, he was gonna pay for that. They held hands and started walking towards the pond shore. The water was not as cold as she had thought, Zoe had to admit. He sped up, pulling her behind him, turned and let his body fall, his back collided with the water. He stood up again and rubbed his eyes. She saw it as the perfect opportunity to pull his trunks down.

"What the hell?" he swore although the grin on his face betrayed him.

"I'm naked, you're naked. We're even now"

He took off his trunks completely, seeing there was no way he could discuss with a naked Zoe Hart skinny dipping in a cool pond.  
Zoe shivered, her hands a little pale, her teeth chattering from the cold. Wade, noticing it, pulled her closer and hugged her, his chest against her back. His arms went to encircle the waist and his head rested on her shoulder.

"Better now?"

"Yeah" he kissed the base of her neck.

* * *

Some time later they are sitting on the beach, huddled close together, covered by the same towel.

"What is it? I know you have something on your mind... You can talk to me"

Wade stared at her, not knowing whether he should speak or ignore his feelings. How could she know? He'd always been the one who could read minds and, usually, she was the one quite slow at understanding signals.  
He finally made up his mind and began to talk in a soft, low voice.

"Just, don't freak out Doc" he begged her "I am not good at this. It's... You're the first. I've never said that to anybody, as far as I remember." He looked up in the sky and sighed, then shifted his attention back to her, a little smirk spreading on his face "Or at least, and this I know for sure, I've never felt like this. Never felt it, for no one. But I figured I'd just spit it out 'cause you should know. I... I want you to know."

"You're scaring me"

"You should be scared, because" he paused and swallowed hard "I fell in love with you, Zoe Hart. I'm in love with you."

"Oh..."


	3. Chapter 3

I feel like I can't thank you enough for all your kind reviews and alerts!

I'm sorry it took me so long to post, but I have been busy studying for school tests! As a matter of fact, I will have to study a lot more in the next weeks, sadly, so I don't know whether I'll have the time to write another chapter these days, but I hope I will.

I really liked this last episode of Hart of Dixie, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" Wade has been so cute:) I'm looking forward to the next episode, seems like there will be big things going on! :)

Anyway, this chapter takes place right after Wade tells Zoe he loves her, wow, big stuff!

I DON'T OWN HART OF DIXIE.

* * *

_"I'm in love with you"  
"Oh..."_

Zoe ran away but Wade followed only a few steps behind her.

"Zoe!" He tried to stop her. He should have stayed quiet, enjoy the sweet, beautiful moments with her, instead of confessing his deep feelings. Why did he do it? It ruined everything they had, now there would be no fun and happiness and they'll resume all the hate and arguments they shared before, if they'll ever talk again. He'd ruined everything, damn!

"What do you mean by, oh?" He realized he couldn't take back what he had told her so now he should at least know what hadn't worked between them, what Zoe thought, how she felt.

"Wade I, I don't know, I mean.. We've been together for 2 months I mean it's, there's... and George..." She couldn't explain herself and didn't know what to tell him.

"So what you said that night on the boat, it was just crap" she could hear the pain coming with his voice already. She had never wanted to hurt him, but it seemed everything she did was like stabbing him in the heart. Her actions were like daggers in his body, and she couldn't help it "I should have known better. You are still Zoe Hart the snobbish, selfish girl from New York and you're still looking for the perfect prince and, clearly, I'm not that prince"

Ouch, that hurt. She was not like that anymore, he knew it, but he was angry and didn't really mean what he was saying, it was just a process to cool down from his rage.

"No Wade, it's not like that, it's... it's just early. You have had feelings for me since we first met, but back then I hadn't noticed how you were always there for me, I only cared about George. I am beginning now to fall for you, give me time, because I really like you, I do. I don't know how relationships work, and my parents, I mean my mom... I'm not good at this, you know." She tried to justify her silliness but apparently it only made things worse.

"Neither am I," he blurted out. His eyes were lucid. Why did she have to bring that out again? They had already discussed the fact that they had never been on a serious relationship before and they didn't know how to behave. He thought he had made it pretty clear that they were not going to be like her parents, that yes, they argued, but that was what brought them together in the first place. He'd explained her that after the First Feast, he thought he had made a great speech about that - he'd even been proud of himself. But after what he had just heard he found himself questioning everything he did. He couldn't believe she still thought they couldn't be a real couple. He grew angrier. "we're in the same situation. The only difference is, at least I am trying!"

With that, he noisily walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Tears were starting to fall and he swept them away with the back of his hand. He couldn't breathe, he had to go away from her. He had made a fool of himself. She'd just pretended and he'd fallen for it. He still couldn't believe it, Wade Kinsella, the guy who'd never said nor meant the words 'I love you', had just confessed being in love with a stupid messy girl from New York, and she had rejected him. He'd never been rejected by a girl in his whole life. But, again, Zoe Hart was no any girl. She was unlike anyone else, and probably that's what he loved about her. Yeah, he loved her and couldn't help it, even if she'd broken his heart – a heart he didn't even know he had before she got in his life, and although she hadn't really ruined his life, she messed up with him pretty bad. She'd hurt him, the guy who had never shown people he was hurt, even when he actually was. He had let her, and only her, see the real Wade, the one behind the mask, but she'd pushed him away, breaking his heart. He didn't know whether he could trust her anymore.  
Zoe stood there, in the middle of the living room. After a little while, when she couldn't bear it anymore, she sat down heavily on the couch. She was a horrible person, just a stupid word and she had ruined everything. How could she be so foolish? She really felt sorry, for him, and for herself, because she'd screwed up their relationship, she'd hurt them both, not just Wade. Unintentionally.

* * *

"Zoe!" She heard a familiar voice coming from the door, calling her.

She turned and watched as Rose got inside her house.

"Oh... Rose, hey. What are you doing here?" She could feel the tears on the edge of her eyes, and tried to keep them from streaming down her face.

"Just a quick visit. Well, actually, I'm here because, you wouldn't believe what happened yesterday! I'm so, so happy! I'll tell you from the start, 'cause it's just... Woah, I have this strange, but amazingly good thing goin' on in my head, and I can sense butterflies in my stomach!" She paused, breathing for the first time after she'd started talking. Man, that girl could be so similar to Zoe sometimes, fast-speaking and all. "So, yesterday I got to that stupid party Magnolia threw at her house, 'cause Brick and Lemon... Well I dunno where they were, but they weren't home. Obviously. So, this party. It was a little weird, I knew almost no one, but there was Frederick Dean so..." She stopped, noticing only in that precise moment that there was something going on with Zoe "hey wait, what happened? Something involving Wade, isn't it? You know, I always can tell if it's Wade that got you upset, you have that face..."

"What face?" She tried to pull on a normal face, but couldn't. The tears started streaming down her face.

"OMG, sweetie?" Rose asked, worried. She hadn't thought it was so bad, but if Zoe was even crying, then it really must have been something big "what's the problem? You can tell me, I'll help you!"

"Oh, this?" She pointed at her tears, trying to keep it simple "it's... nothing, really. Just, an allergy" she moved her hands in a circle around her face "there must be some plant near here I'm allergic to."

"C'mon, you fool no one, and surely not me" she chuckled "ergo, tell me"

"What's the thing with latin, now?" a little smile spread on her face, the tears stopping.

"Oh, nothing, we've done some Latin lessons at school. The only thing I remember 'bout it, though, is that 'ergo' means 'so'. I like how it sounds. Ergo, ergo!"

"Whatever" the doctor was still smiling, Rose could be so funny sometimes. Suddenly, she felt like telling her what happened with Wade, after all she could use some advice, even if it came from a 15-year-old, fast-talking girl.

"Okay, I'll explain to you what got me to be like that. But only if you tell me everything about the party! Deal?"

"Deal" she began to squeak and jump around the living room.

"So..." Zoe told her about how they spent the afternoon together, how she really had had fun – because she always has – how she loved spending time with him, feel his arms hugging her, his lips on her, his chuckle "And then he said those three little words and I shut down."

"Wait what? Wade, did Wade say 'I love you'? Did he, really? Because that would be awesome. He's never said it. Ever. You're so special to him that you made him say those words he swore he'd never say after his mother died, guess he really means it"

"Yeah he did, but how do you now all this stuff about him?"

"Oh, you know," she blushed "I happen to have had a little crush on him some time last year, when we built the chariot for the Founder's Day Parade. He's helped me a lot with Frederick Dean, guess I found that hot." Zoe gave her a look, and she shook her head "Sorry, forgot it's your boyfriend we're talking about. I meant, I found sweet what he did for me" she startled.

"Uh, boyfriend, I don't know if I can use this word referring to him, now, seen what happened" the tears were about to fall from her eyes, again and Rose could recognize the pain in her voice. "anyway, I responded with a stupid 'oh' and ran away, he followed me and we had a fight. I practically told him I'm not in love with him because we're not a good couple, but it came out in sort of a wrong way, I didn't exactly mean it like that" she began to cry again, and tried to cover it with the sleeve of her sweater. Sometimes she just formulates the sentences in the wrong way, causing all kinds of trouble. Like the time when she'd practically told Lily Ann that she had a nerve damage and she freaked out.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I think you two are a great couple, you're like, Meant To Be!"

"We're what?" Zoe asked,almost chuckling.

"You're made for each other, destined to be together forever! Don't you watch Grey's Anatomy on TV? I thought you did"

"Uhm yeah, guess I got to catch up with it!" She laughed. Her and Wade, meant to be? It was ridiculous, they were too different. And, again, there she was, thinking stupid things like that. Different can be good. Analogue can be boring. She should have understood it by then. Zoe suddenly realized something.

"Maybe we really are".

"Yeah." Rose agreed. They both laughed.

"Now, tell me every single thing about your night with Frederick Dean. I wanna know!"

Rose giggled, her cheeks red, and continued her story.  
She went to that party and there she hung out with Frederick Dean, they talked a lot about Chew. At some point they got out since the party bored them, and walked close to each other, their shoulders touching – well, as he was taller than her, her shoulder just kept bumping against his arm. They stood near a tree, talking a lot in a passionate way, and somehow ended up kissing when he pushed her to rest her back on the trunk of a tree. His hand had cupped her cheek as they made out and Rose, blushing, confessed to Zoe it had been the sweetest thing he could have done. "I'm so in love, Zoe! He's the most handsome, sweet, clever, funny guy I've ever met. And he loves Chew! He's, like, perfect! I'm so happy, I think he was worth the wait"  
Maybe she was right, maybe it's always better when you have to fight for the things you want, because it gets you to appreciate them more. You can realize they're really worth it.

"Rose, I'm really happy for you! And thank you, it made me feel a lot better, now I'm not as sad. I think I have to make things up with Wade"  
The teenage girl nodded. She really had to fix everything after she'd messed up so bad. Wade was worth the struggle, and she wasn't going to lose him without fighting.

"If you need any help, I'm available"

"Now that I think about it, I may need some. I have already figured how to make it up to him..."

* * *

As he walked away from her house, pissed off both with her, who was still the snob girl from NY and wouldn't let them have a real relationship, and with himself for ruining everything and trusting her. He went to the Rammer Jammer for a drink, since he knew there weren't any beers in his fridge.

"Wade, my man" Lavon greeted him.

Wade didn't even bother saying something, he was so frustrated, so he just let out a grunt.

"Hey, thought you and Zoe had a date this afternoon?"

"We sure had" he was about to order a beer to drown his sorrows into alcohol, when he figured it would not be strong enough, so instead he asked for a scotch. Lavon waited for Wanda to give Wade his drink, and only as he watched his friend grab the glass and pour half the scotch that had been in it down his throat and cough, almost choking, he spoke again. Wanda, of course, had her ears open, ready to catch anything that would explain Wade's bad mood.

"So why are you here, your hands full with a glass rather than with you girlfriend?"

"Oh, this? It's 'cause –" Wade paused, it wasn't in his intentions to explain what he'd done and how she'd reacted "Look, I don't want to talk 'bout this right now" he only wanted to cloud his mind and perhaps forget all that happened with Zoe, and alcohol was the answer for that.

"Give me another" he asked his co-worker. She snorted and did as she was requested. Lavon gave it up and joined Wade for a drink.

By the time they left the bar, they were both tipsy, if not completely drunk. As they approached to the Navigator, Zoe showed up from behind a car. She was headed to the Rammer Jammer where she had hoped she'd find Wade there, even if he had the day off. You can say she'd found him.

"Wade!"

"What!?" He blurted out, almost shouting. She could tell he was still mad at her, what a surprise.

"I'm sorry" she whispered. Lavon glanced at her with his eyes wide open and shook his head as a sign that was not the best of moments to apologize.

"It doesn't matter. I hate you. You're selfish. You..." Maybe Lavon was right. That wasn't much Wade talking, though, but rather his anger and the alcohol he had in his body, and Zoe understood it. Still, those words hurt her.

"Okay, stop, you know what? We can postpone this conversation to tomorrow" she stared at him in the eyes, seeking a confirm "you're drunk, you'd better go home"

"Don't tell me what to do"

"Just, please, don't drive in these conditions, let Lavon give you a ride home"

"Doc, Lavon's as drunk as I am" he chuckled.

"No I'm not!" Their friend said too hastily and with a peak in his voice. He clearly was drunk, too, and Zoe sighed. If anything happened to them, she would never forgive herself for it, so, as much as she didn't want to spend any more time with an angry and drunk Wade who hated her and at the same time still loved her, she knew what was the right thing to do.

"Come on, I'll give you a ride home"

They both snorted, but accepted her offer. Lavon tossed her the keys to his car and they got in the Navigator, Wade in the front passenger seat near to Zoe, Lavon slouched in the back.

* * *

As she was driving, her hand rested on her thigh. Wade, almost unconsciously, grabbed it with his and squeezed lightly. Zoe turned to him and gave him a look which she wanted to mean a thousand words, but found him with his head on the window and his eyes closed. To her, he appeared so sweet and innocent.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered, her voice low enough not to wake him, although loud enough for Lavon to hear it.

"What?" Lavon whispered back.

"Nothing..." She sighed, again.

"Ya really screwed up, haven't you?"

"Yeah" She yawned and Lavon did the same.

* * *

So, as always, let me know what you think about it, if you liked or hated it with a review:) love you all!


	4. Chapter 4

**Heyy! I'm back! Thank you all for your reviews, faves and follows, I really appreciate them:) I am so sorry I haven't been able to upload the new chapter in a while - well, it has been nearly a month since I put the third chapter so yeah.. I suck ._.**

**I am so sad since I watched 2x16 and then 2x17, ****my only comfort is to read all the wonderful fanfics you write everyday:) I hope Wade and Zoe will get back together soon, I already miss them as a couple!**

**Anyway, here's the new chapter, I hope you like it! I had another idea in mind as I started writing it, but then this thing popped in my head and I decided to go that way... we can say Wade and Zoe here ****are in a situation of transition, read more to understand better:)**

**I have already started with the fifth, I hope I will be able to upload in less than a week, wish me luck lol :D**

* * *

The next morning, Wade woke up on a couch that wasn't his. He ran his hand through his blond hair and yawned loudly.

"You scared?" Lavon questioned him when he noticed he was awake, clearly referring to the night before. Wade looked up at him, still on the couch. He was in the kitchen, having breakfast with milk and cereal.

"What 'bout?" Wade asked, still sleepy. His friend gave him a knowing look and pronounced Zoe's name.

"So... Are you scared?" the mayor asked again as Wade joined him in the kitchen for breakfast. He sat on a stool opposite to the mayor and filled a bowl with milk and cereal.

"Yeah Lavon I'm scared" then he thought better of it and quickly corrected himself "No that's not it, I am not scared. I don't deserve her, she won't ever fall for a guy like me, and even if she did, I would let her down. That's what I always do, like when you tried to help me with my bar: I let you down. I'm not good enough and I will never be."

"You're not even trying" Lavon pointed out, motioning at him with the spoon he had in his hand.

"I tried. I told her I loved her" his friend widened his eyes, incredulous "I did, but I fully regret it, because then I understood she doesn't love me, she never will."

"Just give her time, man!"

"She asked for it, too. She said she's gonna fall for me, eventually" Wade's eyes were now lucid. He sniffled, then scratched the back of his head with his hand.

"So tell me, why the hell aren't you two together?"

"Because." He could not finish the sentence, he could not think of a reason that was not totally stupid. Maybe there was no real reason for it. "I don't know man, I feel like I can't do this. I'm not that kinda guy"

"You know you behave weirdly sometimes, right?" Wade looked up at him, half chuckling. Wade Kinsella could be many things.

"The matter is, I don't deserve her, I'll let her down, someday. I'll hurt her, and then I'll lose her, even if I would never want to. I'm not the one for her! I'm not-"

"Oh no, no, don't you dare say George Tucker 'cause I'm no fool. She chose you over him, Wade! And Golden Boy is now with Tansy. So don't you dare, or else I'll smack you in the face"

Wade didn't answer, he was too busy analyzing what his friend had just said.

"I hope you realize that breakin' up with her now means you're losin' her anyway." He knew what loosing her meant. It meant he would no more be able to kiss those soft, smooth lips of hers, to sleep with her by his side or in his arms. It meant no more spooning after sex, no more waking up in the middle of the night just to hear her breathe and watch her chest rise and fall as she peacefully sleeps, no more kissing her in Lavon's kitchen to annoy their friend. Also, he would not have the right to call her 'baby' or 'honey' or 'my girlfriend'. It meant no more Zoe.

Lavon shook his open hand in front of his friend's eyes to snap him back to reality "However, if you're really sure 'bout this, I guess Lavon Hayes can do nothin' to convince you against it. But, maybe you should talk to Zo"

He stared at him like he was crazy.

"Oh right and what am I goin' to say to her? The same thing I told you? 'Cause she won't understand, she'll bury me with too much questions, she'll try to punch me in the stomach with those tiny, ineffectual fists of hers, clearly without succeedin', but still." He burst out loud, a mix of rage, regret and woe in his eyes.

"Then do whatever ya want but don't you come back cryin' when she tells you she hates you and will hate you forever" Lavon said withdrawing from the table and holding his hands up.

"I won't" he almost shouted.

They paused for an indeterminate period of time, both eating their bowls of cereals.

"You're gonna lose her" the mayor stated, plainly.

"I know" Wade said. Lavon shot him a look, he had the saddest face he's ever seen on him. He was hurt and was the only one knowing why.

"I-" the major continued talking with the same tone "I don't understand you"

"Neither do I" Wade cracked a smile, stood up and put his bowl in the sink. He got out of the kitchen and just said "gotta go, bye!" as the door was closing.

* * *

"Wade can we talk?"

It was 10 pm when Zoe knocked on Wade's door. Even after the talk with Lavon, he was not ready to face her.

"I have nothing to tell you"

He was lying on the couch, the guitar lying on him, and what he had just said was a lie, he had so many things to say to her, he just couldn't speak up, not now at least. Part of it was because even if she was behind a door, hearing her voice alone evoked in his mind a picture of the pain that went through her face, the woe in her brown, sad eyes.

"Well I have, so can I at least speak my mind? All you'll have to do is listen. You don't need to say anything, but please-"

"Go away" suddenly he felt some kind of anger growing inside him. Or was it just... the alcohol?

"Are you drunk?" He looked at the empty beer bottles on the table near the couch he was sitting on, then at the glass in his hands, full with scotch.

"I maybe had one beer or two" then, he had taken it to another level when he shifted to scotch, but this he didn't tell Zoe.

"Wade" he couldn't handle it anymore, feeling frustrated and slightly annoyed.

"Just go away" with that, a little tear dropped from her eyes as she decided to leave.

Running down the porch steps, tears began streaming down her face and she couldn't help it.  
She would talk to him the next morning, she thought. What difference does a night make, anyway? He wouldn't even be drunk, so that'd be a plus.  
Wade hadn't moved an inch. Since he didn't hear anything, he thought she had taken his advice and left his house. He stood up and got to the closest window that faces her home beyond the pond and saw her walking towards the main door. Before going inside, she glanced over the pond and there she saw him, staring at her through the window. He realized that he had been discovered and quickly turned from the window, trying to forget the sad look she had on and that line – bright because affected by the shining sun – that linked her eye to the chin and he could swear, that was a tear.  
She sighed and got inside.

* * *

As she was lying on the couch, Zoe remembered about the conversation she'd had with Rose earlier so she called her. As the answering machine went off, she decided to leave a message.

"hey Rose, it's Zoe. Remember the plan to remedy things with Wade? Forget it, everything's cancelled"

She took a cool shower and then slipped under the covers of her bed. As she was dozing off, she collected her thoughts. Why did he seem so distant, so detached? Why did he act like that? She couldn't understand the reason why he was keeping distance from her. Well, she did know he was hurt because of the 'I love you' thing, but she had tried to explain that. She thought things with him were going just fine, even though not without problems. Then he said 'I love you' and she froze. She was guilty but that didn't give him the right to give up on them and not talk to her for ever.  
Again, she thought about her conversation with Rose and again, found herself thinking she would fix everything with Wade because he was worth it, even if it appeared he didn't agree with that.

When she woke up the next morning, she felt the urge to puke, so she ran to the bathroom. After some time she was starting to feel better so she decided to go to work anyway, the nausea didn't bother her all day long. When back home she thought about it. Was if a food poisoning? Or was it something else, like...? When was the last time she'd had her period?

* * *

"I really need to talk to you" you could tell something bad happened when Zoe showed up at Wade's house early in the morning. Wade, this time, went to open the door.

Now they were standing on the porch, he was looking at her, puzzled. She finally spit it out "Wade I think I'm pregnant" she still couldn't believe what she was saying, let alone Wade.

"Uh" those words had scared the hell out of him. He couldn't think, and started feeling all dizzy and stuff, so he leaned against the door so his shoulder was supporting his body, his arms crossed.

"_Uh_ what? I tell you I'm pregnant with your baby and all you can say is _uh_?" She was shaking hard and all Wade wanted to do was to stop her from doing it in some way but he was terrified as well and couldn't move, so all he did was stand there, still.

Suddenly, a thought hit him.

"Is it mine?" He said, unsure.

"Yes you jerk" she huffed and stared at him like he was some kind of freak "whose do you think it is?"

"What, just sayin' " a tiny smirk spread on his face. Even in a situation like this he could still make jokes, he was incorrigible.

She widened her eyes and hit him on the arm, "jerk" she repeated.

Wade smiled but then froze. He was scared as hell, even more than she was, but in his heart he knew what the right thing to do was, so he went all serious and spoke again.

"We can do this" they locked eyes and stared at each other for some time.

"Do what?"

"We can raise our child, together" he paused, running a hand through his hair and then on his shoulder "we can do it."

"No we can't. We've been together for, like, 3 months. We're not ready, I'm not ready, NO!" She was seriously starting to freak out, so Wade hugged her, moving his hand slowly up and down her back, not knowing what else to say. He had never been good with words, always preferred actions.

"Slow down, girl" he tried in a soothing voice. Zoe seemed to calm down a bit so he moved away a little so they could meet eyes and cupped her cheeks with his hands. He could feel her heart beat loudly and so could she. He brought his lips to hers, kissed her lightly and she didn't fight back nor complain.  
He wanted to be strong for her but inside, he was freaking out as she was, maybe even more. It had been only in the morning when he didn't want them to be together, and now there he was, trying to start a family with her.  
She breathed in and out to calm down, although the kiss had already done much of the job reassuring her.

"Maybe I should get my blood analyzed, just to be sure, you know"

"I can come with you if you want me to" he smiled.

"Yeah that'd be great" she smiled back at him and he pulled her closer, enfolding her with his arms. She buried her face in his chest, feeling the heat irradiating from his warm body and inhaled deeply. His shirt smelled like pine and she loved that.  
They broke the embrace and headed to the clinic.

"You know, I have this feelin' we're gonna have a girl" Wade said, suddenly breaking the silence that had fallen between them as they went down the street.

"I would love for it to be a girl" she turned to him, a wide, sweet smile on her lips.

"You do?" He leaned over to give her a kiss on the forehead and held her closer to him.

"Yeah"

"Me, too" they both smiled.

* * *

Some days later, they sat on her couch, Wade's arm around Zoe's shoulders, the envelope with the test's results in her hands. The days had passed slowly since they first discovered they were going to have a baby, and they were just starting to get used to the idea of raising a child together and being a family.

"Okay, I'm doing it now" they both breathed slowly, staring at that envelope which contained their future. She opened it carefully and as she was reading the results Wade inhaled deeply, the wait was killing him.

"I, I am not... pregnant" she stated with a sigh of relief.

* * *

**So yeah. Zoe's not pregnant. I've read some fics where the couple have a baby, and I totally respect and love them, but I felt like, at least in my story, they're not at that point yet. It's just too soon for them;)**

**In chapter 5 we'll see how that will affect their relationship... **

**Feel free to review, fave and follow, I love you all! xx**


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